Friday May 6th, 2011 - Chicago, IL As far as comedy goes on the club level, this week at Zanies in Chicago is as good as it gets. First, it’s a legendary club that everyone in the business knows. Like an Improv or a Comedy Store or a Catch A Rising Star, Zanies in Chicago has carved out a name brand. Everyone from Jay Leno to Jerry Seinfeld to hundreds of other A List comedy names of the last thirty plus years have performed there, and whenever standup comedy in Chicago comes up the first thing everyone around the country asks is “Do you work Zanies?” I do. Not only that, I headline there and have been for many years. It’s something I’m proud of. Unfortunately, I don’t work at the Improv or the Comedy Store or Catch A Rising Star, but as far as Chicago goes I’m right up there with the anyone local. That’s no small feat, as Chicago is the third largest market in America. If it’s not New York or L.A. this is it. It means a lot to be associated with Zanies, and I’ve gotten a lot out of it over the years. I’ve been asked to do several corporate events because someone saw me at any one of the Zanies locations, but the Old Town location is the original. That’s the one people know. The building itself is no great shakes. In fact, it’s a former strip club that transformed in 1978 to a comedy club and it’s lasted ever since. Now it’s looked at as one of the very top places to work and any road comic would love to put even working there on a resume, not to mention headlining. Not only that, but to be booked back again and again is an honor. This particular week is a dream week in that the other comics and I fit together perfectly. The host is longtime Chicago comic Vince Maranto. He’s been doing comedy longer than even I have, and he’s very funny in addition to being a solid host. Zanies likes to use local headliners as ‘house emcees’ so they can have higher quality shows and it totally works. There’s an advantage to being a house emcee, and I’ve done it myself. It’s a win/win as it allows a comic to stay off the road, but still be booked every week and make a living at a lower rate. After expenses and wear and tear, the road can take a lot out of anyone. This concept offers a chance to rest up, have a life and still get paid. Vince does a kick ass job. The feature is a young woman named Emily Galati. I’ve worked with her before and we also get along well. She has a fabulous work ethic and has made enormous progress since the last time we worked together. She was an opener then, now she’s moved up to feature. Backstage on Tuesday Vince commented on how pleasant this week would be, as none of us were high maintenance either onstage or off. We’re all just looking to make a living and not bother anyone. Nothing is more draining than off stage drama. It‘s bad energy. Every time I step on the Zanies stage, I know there are hundreds of other comics who’d love to take my place. That makes me give my best effort always, even in a less than ideal situation. Tonight I had two very solid shows, and I wish it could be like this every week.
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